There now exist electronic games which display images (and produce sound) on a television set. Such games, known as "video games," are commonplace in many homes. The typical video game is generally comprised of a "console" (i.e., a control unit) which contains circuitry for executing a set of program instructions, generally contained in one or more memory devices, packaged within a game cartridge connected to the console. The program instructions, when executed, cause the circuitry within the console to simulate an activity (i.e., play a game) by producing images and sound for reproduction by the television set. One or more players typically interact with the console circuitry via a control, typically known as a joystick, to play the simulated game. By inserting a different game cartridge into the console, a different activity can be simulated.
One significant drawback of present day video games is that the characteristics of the activity (e.g., the play of the game), established by the program instructions in the game cartridge, remain the same. While a particular game may have several different levels of difficulty, the playing characteristics within each level are invariant. As a consequence, once a player has mastered the highest degree of difficulty of a particular game, the player will often lose interest in that game.
Thus, there is a need for an electronic game whose characteristics can be easily altered.